In this article, you will learn what are the models from the 36 inches width induction cooktops from Bosch, what are the features of each of them and if the differences justify the prices and the advantages.

In what concerns the 36 inches line from Bosh you have to know that things are quite the same with the features, but this time we talk about larger widths of cooking zones.

Besides, unlike the 30 inches models that have 4 elements, the 36-inch wide induction burners have 5 cooking zones. This is great if you usually cook with different size pans and pots or if you cook at the same time to 3 or 4 or even 5 burners.

You don’t have to wait to finish cooking at 4 elements in order to boil water and make tea to another burner.

Let’s take a closer look at the three different models ( If you remember from the 30 inch Bosch Comparison article, an “S” in the ending name of the model tells you from the beginning if it is with frame or frameless.)

2. Overview 36 ” Benchmark NITP666UC – frameless /NITP666SUC – frame

This unit is a dual 12 inches heating burners with power up to 4500W. It has 5 heating elements and two of them are bridged. All five are boosted, and power is 3.3 kW, boost to 3.6 kW, except the dual ring 2.2/3.3 kW element that boosts to 3,4/4,5 kW.

You can find it in the center of the heating surface and it has a 9/12-inch diameter. This element auto-sizes to the pan size. Next, the front left and the back left elements, the front right and in the back right are all 8/9 inches in diameter. The appliance requires a 50 amp circuit.

SpeedBoost is a special feature that guarantees you will be able to boil water twice as fast in comparison with traditional electric burners. 36 ” Benchmark NITP666UC is very fast, easy to clean and very efficient.

Every heating element runs with an independent Count Down Timer, an ingenious feature that will allow you to preset a specific cooking time for each individual cooking zone. When the programmed time will expire, the unit will shut off automatically.

There are also some other useful features that will help you automatically adjust the cooking burner to the size of the pot bottom, to better select the cooking level (from 17 settings) and to minimize any risk for accidents.

But, this unit has a special feature: it has a pair of elements in the left and right that can each be used as 2 separate burning elements, or run as one single heating element, and in this way allow you to use longer or oversized cooking pans and pots.

This is called FlexInduction as it combines 2 cooking areas into one continuous cooking surface.

NITP666UC has no trim, but its sister unit, NITP666SUC is designed with stainless steel frame. Otherwise, technical specifications remain the same.

From the beginning, I would like to stress that this unit is the only 36 inches electric burners in its class that requires only 40 amp circuit. So this means that you can easily use it in an older kitchen with an underpowered wiring. But this doesn’t mean it is slow. Not at all.

This electric cooktop has a sleek design and promises quick cooking results as it has a large main element 11-inch heating burner that offers a lot of cooking power, 3600W. In fact, it has five heating elements, all of them very well organized on the cooking surface (two on the right, two on the left, and the larger in the center).

Other than the improved installation flexibility, the features remain quite the same as the other models from the 36″ class. So, we have the PotSense, that allows you to adjust the cooking elements to the size of the pan, the ChildLock feature, that allows you to lock the temperature settings while the unit is functioning and the SafeStart.

This unit has no trim, unlike the other two models from its class, but its design is really attractive and it suits every elegant and stylish kitchen. There is a similar model, the 30″ NIT5066UC.

This is also a five element, 36″ wide electric cooktop and it requires a 40-amp breaker. People who want to use it in old cooking rooms with an underpowered wiring can opt for this model.

In spite of this thing, and unlike many other five-element induction cooktops, NIT 8666UC has a very large main element, 12″ in diameter, with plenty cooking power, that is 4500W.

The dual-area center can boost up to 3,4/ 4,5 kW. Next there are two heating elements in the front left and back left, with 7″ diameter, one heating element on the front right with 9 inch diameter and the last one on the right is the smallest as it has just 6-inch diameter.

AutoChef – this is the main special feature that makes the difference between NIT 8666UC/ NIT 8666SUC and the other models from the 36″ class.

AutoChef is an innovative Bosch exclusive characteristic that helps you maintain an exact frying temperature for steady cooking results. Precision is given by the 9 cooking programs and 4 temperature levels. So you can easily fry fish, pancakes, hamburgers, steak (with different levels of cooking: rare, medium or well-done), french fries, eggs and many more.

With CountDown Timer, you can now easily multi-task in your kitchen because the burner will automatically shut off when the programmed time will expire. And this feature is available for all 5 elements. NIT 8666UC/ NIT 8666SUC are also equipped with Precise Select feature, ChildLock and Safe Start. For safety purpose, it will automatically detect the pan size and it will recognize the pan in order to start heating the element.

In what concerns the design we have to add one more thing. The NIT 8666UC has no trim, but the model is also available with stainless steel frame, namely the NIT8666SUC.

4. So what are the differences?

As mentioned above, from the 36″ class induction cooktops, there are two models with frames and three of them with no trim. Benchmark NITP666UC is frameless while NITP666SUC has frames. Their special feature is the FlexInduction that allows you to mix two cooking areas in one single cooking surface.

The 500 Series NIT 5666UC is cheaper and it is available only without trim. It requires a 40 amp circuit.

The 800 Series can be without frame: NIT 8666UC or with elegant trim, that is NIT 8666SUC. Their distinctive feature is the AutoChef, that will help you maintain a precise frying temperature while cooking.

5. Summary

Now that you’ve learned the similarities and differences between all five models from the 36″ induction cooktops class, I believe it will be easier for you to choose the right 36-inch-width electric burner from Bosch.

DESIGN: If I had a luxuriously and elegant kitchen, I would definitely opt for Benchmark NITP666UC, NIT 5666UC or NIT 8666UC because they have no trim, they look cool and modern, they have a sleek design. They would fit very well. But, if you are practical and you want to avoid any damage risks to the cooking surface, then it is better to choose an induction cooktop with stainless steel frame. The same, if you have other stainless steel objects or appliances in your kitchen.

FEATURES: As seen above, the features are quite the same. So we are going to focus on the special features, that make the difference. On the one hand, there are the Benchmark NITP666UC – frameless /NITP666SUC – frame that have that FlexInduction feature, which is very useful if you already have longer or oversized induction cookware. I would opt for these ones because I like the fact that I can use two elements as one surface or use them individually. This gives me a flexibility as I can use multiple pans and pot, adjust the heating element. On the other hand, the AutoChef feature from the 800 Series NIT 8666UC / NIT 8666SUC would be very useful in case you usually fry and a more precise temperature would help you have better cooking results. I am not a fry-fan (I prefer boil, bake, sauce or grill) so I think I would give up to these models.

Power Consumption: NIT 5666UC has the lowest price per kilowatt: almost 180$, in comparison with 215$ (NIT 8666UC – Frameless / NIT 8666SUC – Frame) and 250$ (Benchmark NITP666UC – Frameless /NITP666SUC). So if power consumption is an important aspect in you case, you should keep in mind these numbers.

PRICE: But “What about the price?” will you ask. Well, if you want to save some money and you don’t really need special features like AutoChef and FlexInduction, then go for NIT 5666UC, as it has the lowest price. On the other hand, if the money is not a problem and you are looking for “the best” solution, then choose the NITP666UC/ NITP666SUC (this is the most expensive from the 36 inch class) or the NIT 8666UC/ NIT 8666SUC.

Anyway, I would have guessed that the last with AutoChef is the most expensive induction cooktop, but it seems it is not. So one more time I am convinced that the most expensive unit is not necessarily the best unit (for me).

Remember that the best induction cooktop for you is the one that better fits your real needs.

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